Title Pending
by Shimmercloud
Summary: This is my official fanfic! Please enjoy.
1. Prologue

A black cat stepped out of the shadows. Her eyes were filled with sorrow as several heads turned to look at her.

"Welcome," said a dark grey cat. His face was grim and he stepped forward to greet the black cat. The other cats in the clearing were silent as waves of sadness washed over them. The young black cat lifted her head, and the white star on her forehead gleamed in the moonlight. She padded slowly to the middle of the clearing.

"Stonestar," she whispered. "I want to go back." The grey cat looked at her sadly.  
>"It's too late now, Stardust," he replied. "Every cat wants to go back. No cat wants to leave their clan. But you have shown as much loyalty and commitment to your clan as any clan born cat would. StarClan would be honored to have you here." Stardust's legs crumpled beneath her as she collapsed on the forest floor. "It pains us to have a young cat to join us. But StarClan cannot control everything, and we cannot control death," His dark eyes were serious. "And we need you most right now because of what is coming."<br>"I had to do it," she said. "There was no other possible thing I could do. She means everything to me and I will do anything for her," Stardust's eyes saddened. "Do you know if she is okay?"  
>Stonestar placed his tail on her shoulder reassuringly. "She is fine," he said. "It's all over now." Stardust's gaze darkened as she pulled away.<p>

"No," she said. "It has only just started."


	2. Chapter 1

Briarleaf's ears pricked. The hunting patrol was just returning. Finally, she thought. She had been out collecting herbs all morning and was starving.  
>Selecting a shrew from the pile, Briarleaf returned to her den for some peace and quiet to eat. Most cats would want to sit in the clearing, sharing tongues with their clanmates, but Briarleaf did not enjoy talking to her clanmates as other cats would. Briarleaf hung her head as an image popped into her head. No, she thought. Stardust is gone now. Briarleaf sadly took a bite of her shrew as she remembered her friend.<p>

It was five moons after Stardust's death and Briarleaf was still not over it. Stardust had died in an accident climbing trees. Briarleaf shook with grief as she remembered it. Stardust lay in her den, unmoving, while Briarleaf prayed to StarClan that she was okay. She died the next day, and Briarleaf had sat vigil all night, the last of her energy sucked out of her.

Stardust was not a Clanborn cat. Her mother was a rogue named Emily, who brought her to the clan as a kit. She had slept in the nursery beside Briarleaf. She had become an apprentice with Briarleaf. She had become a warrior and Briarleaf had never left her side. And she was gone now. All gone. Briarleaf tore up her shrew with her teeth. I'll never have another best friend, she thought. Not after Stardust.

Suddenly, a head poked into her den. It was Shalepaw, the apprentice who was an exeptionally good hunter. Brairleaf had seen him while out collecting herbs.

Shalepaw limped into the den. "I have a thorn in my pad," he groaned. Briarleaf padded over to him.

"Let me have a look at it," she mewed quietly.

Carefully concentrating, Briarleaf puled out the throrn and gave him a marigold pulp to treat it.

"Thanks," he said happily and ran off with a slight bounce in his step. Briarleaf felt a slow smile creeping onto her face at the sight of the small apprentice in so much joy.

"Stardust!" Briarleaf called. "Stardust, are you here? " A black cat stepped out of the shadows.

"Stardust!" Briarleaf cried happily. She ran up to her friend and pressed her muzzle into her flank. "I missed you so much!" Stardust purred at the sight of her friend. Then her face turned serious.

"Briarleaf," she mewed. "Great danger is coming to the forest." Briarleaf stared back at her in shock.

"What do you mean?" she whispered.

"StarClan have sensed an evil lurking in the presence of the clans," Stardust whispered. Her voice was getting fainter and it seemed she was getting farther and farther away from Briarleaf.

"Wait!" Briarleaf cried. "You have to tell me what you mean!" Stardust faded away into the stars but her voice still rang in her ears.

"Beware, Briarleaf. Danger will come in the face of the sun's cloud."


	3. Chapter 2

Briarleaf woke with a start. It was all a dream,she thought. She padded out of her den into the clearing. The morning sun shone down on her as she stretched. Selecting a mouse from the fresh kill pile, Briarleaf sat down to eat. Silverheart sat next to her, her silvery tabby fur gleaming in the sunlight.

"Good morning, Briarleaf," she mewed. "How are you today?"

"Fine, thanks," Briarleaf replied politely. The clan deputy was very friendly, but also very serious. ThunderClan meant everything to her, and Briarleaf understood that she did not have enough love for any other cat. There was a cat who loved her though. His name was Moonblaze and Briarleaf was always standing on the side, watching him pad after her, day after day, and she ignored him. Briarleaf pitied Moonblaze. It must hurt to love someone so much.

"Hey, Briarleaf," Silverheart mewed. "Have you ever thought of taking on an apprentice?" Briarleaf looked surprised. She had never really thought about it before.

"I...I'm not sure," she replied. "I don't know if I'm ready." Before Silverheart could say anything else, Briarleaf padded off to her den.

Briarleaf hated being impolite, but she just didn't feel comfortable socializing with other cats. An image of Stardust popped into her head, and she sadly shook it away. Stardust was the friendliest cat she had ever met, always chatting with other cats like they were all littermates. But in the end, Briarleaf was everything to her.

Briarleaf decided to check on the kits and the queens in the nursery. As she padded in, the kits dashed up to greet her.

"Hi Briarleaf!" squeaked Icekit. She jumped onto Briarleaf's back and clung on to her. Three other kits folowed, until Briarleaf was covered in a squirming mass of kits.

"Get down this instant!" Raincloud said sternly. Immediatly, the kits dropped from her back. "Hello, Briarleaf. I'm sorry about the kits. They've been dying to get out of the nursery today." Briarleaf licked her ruffled fur.

"It's okay," she mewed. "Kits will be kits." Raincloud purred and gathered her four kits to her nest. Icekit and her littermates, Ivykit, Brushkit, and Shrubkit tumbled into the nest, squealing. Lightfrost's litter, Thistlekit and Bubblekit her older than Raincloud's and sat maturely at the side.

"They're almost six moons old," purred Lightfrost.

"We're going to be apprentices!" shouted Thistlekit while her sister sat up straight with her nose in the air. Briarleaf smiled at the sight of the energetic, enthusiastic kits. Would one of them become her apprentice?

Shiningpelt lay in her nest, her belly heavy with unborn kits. "They'll be due any day now," said Briarleaf.

"They're going to be beautiful kits," she replied happily.

"I'd think so," Briarleaf replied. Then, the mysterious prophecy popped into her head.

Danger will come in the face of the sun's cloud.


	4. Chapter 3

Shiningpelt wailed in agony as a spasm passed through her body. Briarleaf knelt over her, awaiting the arrival of the first kit. _Please StarClan let her be okay, _she thought.

"The first one is coming!" she meowed. "I can see it!" A tiny white kit rolled out onto the bracken and Briarleaf licked it fiercely to keep it warm and get it breathing. "It's a she-cat!" she declared. Shiningpelt yowled again as another kit came out, a tiny tortoiseshell she-cat. Briarleaf licked the little kit and then passed it too Raincloud as the last kit was coming. Finally, a little grey kit tumbled out. "A tom!" she meowed. "That's the last one!" Shiningpelt breathed a sigh of relief as the kits started to suckle. "They're beautiful," said Lightfrost as she nuzzled Shiningpelt happily. "You still have to name them," meowed Raincloud. Shiningpelt purred and tapped each kit on the head. "This one is Mistkit," she said, tapping the white kit. "This one is Whisperkit, and this one is Sunkit," she said, tapping the grey kit and the tortoiseshell kit.

_Sunkit, _thought Briarleaf. Could this little kit have anything to do with the ominous prophecy? _I'll have to keep an eye on him_, she thought.


	5. Chapter 4

"Can't catch me!"

"Get out of the way, furball!"

"I'm going to get you!"

Briarleaf sighed. It had been a moon since Shiningpelt's kits opened their eyes. The nursery was filled with noise and kits playfighting. Sunkit, Mistkit, and Whisperkit were highly energetic for their small size and never backed down from the other kits. Raincloud and Lightfrost's kits, of course, were delighted with their new playmates. Briarleaf sometimes thought that she would never get any sleep anymore.

_Oh well_, she thought. _Kits will be kits._ Juggling her medicine cat duties, visits to StarClan, and keeping an eye on Sunkit, Briarleaf somehow found time to eat and attempt to sleep. With the nursery stuffed to the brim, and nine kits and three queens to check every day, not to mention the injuries that the rest of the clan came to her with every so often, Briarleaf was constantly thinking if life would be easier with a smaller, more energetic cat by her side helping her with everything.

_Have you ever thought of taking on an apprentice? _Briarleaf remembered Silverheart's words.

_I haven't before_, she thought. _But I definitely do now. _The nursery was full of kits. Surely one of them was willing to become a medicine cat? _Maybe I should talk to Crescentstar._

Just then, Briarleaf heard a yowl.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here under the Highledge for a clan meeting!"

Briarleaf stepped out of her den. Crescentstar was standing on the Highledge. Cats were emerging from dens and gathering. Curiously, Briarleaf sat with her clanmates.

"Cats of ThunderClan," meowed Crescentstar. "Thistlekit and Bubblekit have reached their sixth moon, and they are ready to become apprentices. Please come forward, you two." Squealing with excitement, Thistlekit and Bubblekit bounced up to the front of the clearing.

"Thistlekit, from now on, till you get your warrior name, you will be called Thistlepaw."

"Thistlepaw! Thistlepaw!" Briarleaf cheered along with the rest of the clan.

"Whalefin," Crescentstar continued. "You will be mentor to Thistlepaw. StarClan trusts you to teach him everything you know." Whalefin stepped forward proudly and touched noses with Thistlepaw.

"Bubblekit," said Crescentstar. "From now on, till you receive your warrior name, you will be called Bubblepaw."

"Bubblepaw! Bubblepaw!"

"Petalfur," said Crescentstar. "You are more than ready to take on your first apprentice. You will be mentor to Bubblepaw." Petalfur stepped forward and touched noses with Bubblepaw. Both she-cats looked bursting with excitement. With a pang, Briarleaf remembered her mentor, Dewdrop. She remembered how happy she had been when she was made an apprentice. As the rest of the clan went to congratulate Thistlepaw and Bubblepaw, Briarleaf padded into her den, memories racing through her head.

That afternoon, Briarleaf went to see Crescentstar. She was in her den, eating a mouse.

"Hello, Briarleaf," she meowed. "What can I do for you today?'

"Hi, Crescentstar," said Briarleaf. "The nursery is full, and I find myself really busy these days. I thought maybe I could take on an apprentice." Crescentstar nodded.

"You have been our medicine cat for many moons now and you deserve an apprentice. Have you decided who you would like to take on?" Briarleaf shook her head.

"There are many kits in the nursery, but I know not every one of them is willing to follow the path of a medicine cat." Crescentstar dipped her head.

"If you find a particular kit who you would like as an apprentice, come talk to me." Briarleaf nodded and padded off. Stopping to pick up some herbs, she headed to the nursery.

"Hi, Briarleaf," mewed Raincloud. "Come to check on the kits?"

"Yes," Briarleaf replied. It's almost leaf bare and I need to make sure the kits are healthy and prepared for the cold weather." Raincloud dipped her head in acknowledgement. Shiningpelt nosed her sleeping kits.

"Get up, you three," she meowed. "Look who's here." Sunkit, Mistkit, and Whisperkit squirmed sleepily, but jumped to their tiny paws when they saw Briarleaf.

"Briarleaf!" squealed Mistkit. She jumped onto her back and clung on to her fur with her small, soft claws.

"I saw her first," declared Sunkit. Whisperkit glared at him.

"No you didn't!" he growled. "I did!" Briarleaf had noticed throughout the days that Whisperkit wasn't a lot like the other kits. He was sort of darker and a little unfriendly. Briarleaf half wondered if he would make a good medicine cat. _Maybe_, she thought.

"So are you missing Thistlepaw and Bubblepaw yet?" she asked.

"A little," admitted Sunkit. "But we'll be seeing them soon."

"We're going to be warriors!" squeaked Whisperkit, excitedly. He clawed the air and then jumped on Sunkit. The two tumbled into a playfight.

_He's a talented fighter,_ thought Briarleaf. _Maybe he should be a warrior after all._

Suddenly, Briarleaf heard a yowl.

"Briarleaf!" It was Moonblaze. "Shadowtail was attacked by a fox!"

"Shadowtail?" Shiningpelt gasped. Shadowtail was her kits' father. Gathering up her herbs, she dashed for the medicine den.

"Wait!" It was Mistkit. "Can I come? I've always wanted to see the medicine den, but Shiningpelt never lets me"

Shiningpelt snorted. "The medicine den is full of fragile herbs and you could destroy them! Imagine how much trouble that would be for poor Briarleaf!"

"It's fine with me, if it's okay with your mother," Briarleaf replied. Mistkit was sweet and quiet. She would be no trouble. Mistkit looked at her mother pleadingly. Shiningpelt sighed.

"All right, you can go," she mewed reluctantly. Mistkit squealed with delight and followed Briarleaf out into the clearing.

Shadowtail lay in the medicine den, groaning.

"Seapelt, Shalepaw, and Shadowtail, and I were out patrolling," Moonblaze explained. "That's when we met the fox! We gave it some good scratches. It won't be back for a while."

"Good," said Briarleaf. "Foxes might get the kits, or destroy the camp." She circled Shadowtail cautiously. The dark warrior was covered in scratches, with a deep gash down his side. He had torn a claw too, and his fur was matted with blood. Briarleaf shuddered at the thought of a fox lunging at him, eyes gleaming with fury. Chewing up some dock leaves, she carefully applied the ointment to his wounds, and put some cobwebs on them. _I'll need burdock root, _she thought. _Mouse dung! They're in the herb store and I don't want to leave Shadowtail!"_ The warrior was bleeding hard and Briarleaf was afraid he was going to loose to much blood. "Mistkit!" she called. The little white kit had been quietly sitting at the side, watching with wide eyes. "Can you go into the herb store and get me some burdock root? They're…they're dark coloured and…" Briarleaf trailed off. How could she describe burdock root? Mistkit scrambled up and hurried into the herb store. She came out, gripping something in her teeth. "Is this it?" she asked.

"Yes, it is," said Briarleaf, relieved. She applied the burdock root to Shadowtail's gash. He winced.

"It stings!" he complained.

"For StarClan's sake, Shadowtail!" Briarleaf hissed. "Stop acting like a kit! Do you want to heal or not?" Shadowtail shrunk down.

"Sorry, Briarleaf," he muttered. Briarleaf sighed.

"It's fine. I'm just tired. Everything's hard when its leaf fall." Shadowtail nodded.

"It'll get easier in newleaf. For all of us."

Briarleaf glanced at Mistkit. _Maybe things will get easier._


End file.
